GOP may relent on Sandy aid

Republicans in Congress may not insist on spending cuts to pay for some of the billions in federal aid for Hurricane Sandy victims — a potential win for Eastern Seaboard Democrats who were fretting about that possibility.

Late last week, the White House submitted a $60.4 billion disaster aid request that covers the immediate emergency response to Sandy but also includes nearly $13 billion that would be funneled toward long-term efforts to mitigate future natural disasters. The administration designated about $55 billion as emergency spending.

Story Continued Below

Though some Republicans have said the disaster-relief package should be paid for, several other GOP lawmakers told POLITICO that’s unlikely, given the urgent need for the aid package.

“If you’re looking for emergency help that has to get out there right now, in the context of this budget debate going on, I think we have to understand that we might not be able to get viable offsets,” said Indiana Sen. Dan Coats, the top Republican on the panel overseeing the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Maine Sen. Susan Collins said she recently met with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano about the White House’s Sandy request. The moderate GOP senator said she wasn’t dead set on including offsets.

“We’re still scrutinizing it,” Collins said. “Obviously, it would be ideal if there were offsets, but usually there are not for disaster aid.”

“Offset where you can, but this is truly an emergency,” added Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), another member of the Appropriations Committee.

Storm relief for Sandy victims is one of the most pressing legislative items on Congress’s lame-duck agenda, which has been dominated by the ongoing fiscal cliff impasse.

But Republican and Democratic lawmakers from the devastated region — concentrated in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut — have lobbied hard for disaster aid. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie separately came to Capitol Hill earlier this month to meet with congressional leaders and stress the need to act quickly.

“I don’t think it should be offset,” said Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.), whose Long Island-based district was hit hard by Sandy. “We haven’t offset Katrina, we didn’t offset others, and to me, this is a natural disaster and it is separate.”

The Senate Appropriations Committee on Wednesday unveiled its supplemental legislation for Sandy relief, matching the figure requested by the Obama administration. Senate leadership aides said the chamber will probably take up disaster funding after it finishes work on a bill to extend a program that guarantees certain bank deposit accounts, which could be as early as Thursday. Meanwhile, House Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers (R-Ky.) told POLITICO earlier Wednesday to not expect any movement in the House on Sandy aid before Christmas.

Disaster relief has gotten tangled up in political fights on Capitol Hill in the past. In the aftermath of Hurricane Irene in 2011, Republicans called for offsetting the roughly $1.5 billion in storm relief by cutting an auto-industry loan program that was popular among Democrats.

This time around, Congress seems prepared to approve at least some of the disaster relief without cutting elsewhere in the budget. Rory Cooper, a spokesman for House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.), said any additional aid that would be set aside specifically for emergency response would not need to be offset.